Education / academic background:
Finance, Business Administration, or any related field
Specific skills and experience:
TECHNICAL SKILLS:
1. Financial management skills (budgeting, monitoring and reporting)
2. Accounting skills including usage of software
2. Accounting skills including usage of software
TRANSVERSAL SKILLS:
1. Great communication, time management, team management
2. Autonomous, organized, ability to prioritize and to work under pressure
3. Strong computer skills essential
Language:
1. Fluency in English
2. Arabic will be an assets
Desired start date: 1st Feb 2025
Duration of the mission: 6 months with the possibility to extend
Location: Erbil with frequent travel to NES (HSK and RAQ)
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI’s interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.
About the mission
Solidarités International operates via one mission in three countries, Syria, Türkiye and Iraq, with very diverse programs. The mission is managed per hub since 2024, the Western Hub covering North-West Syria (NWS) and Türkiye from Amman and the Eastern Hub covering North-East Syria (NES) and Iraq. Overall the mission employs 350 staff, implementing a large diversity of programs adjusted to each context.
In NES, SI is one of the leading agencies in the WASH sector, responding to emergencies, protracted situations and recovery needs. The strategy is complemented with a significant FSL component, addressing market rehabilitations, business development and agriculture. SI is operational in Raqqa & Hasskeh Governorates.
In NWS, SI operates in Idleb and Nothern-Aleppo with large WASH programs, with a focus in camps settings for IDP populations, and rehabilitation programs, especially after the earthquake. SI also responds to new emergencies, including regular displacements, natural disasters and epidemics.
In Iraq, SI works in Ninewa and Kurdish Republic of Iraq with recovery programs, restoring livelihoods of displaced populations via business development and mitigating the impact of climate change and water scarcity.
In Türkiye, SI began operations with a Turkish partner working with CSOs in areas affected by the earthquake to restore their capacities after this natural disaster, focusing in particular on Hatay province.
General objective:
The Eastern Hub Finance Manager, under the line management of the Eastern Hub Director and the technical management of the Finance Coordinator, plays a key role in the overall financial oversight and budget management for the Eastern Hub.
The Eastern Hub Finance Manager oversees the financial processes, ensuring their effective implementation in the Eastern Hub. He/she assists the Finance Coordinator in defining and implementing financial policies at the Hub level and provides support to field bases to ensure consistent application of these processes.
The Eastern Hub Finance Manager provides support to the finance teams in NES and Iraq.
The main challenges:
Syria Mission as one of the biggest missions in SI, has been operating in NES, NWS, and Iraq. SI has recently restructured its missing into Hubs ensuring closer support to the operational bases. The operations’ sizes varies from one field office to the other but then again taking into account the complexity, in all field offices there is a strong need for support and coordination. The few issues and specific challenges can be summarized as follows:
– Coordination of multiple teams: Effective coordination of finance teams in the field offices, ensuring they are aligned with the overall Mission objectives.
– Cross-border operations: Operating in areas that span multiple countries with different regulations, laws, and political sensitivities adds complexity to operations.
– large geographical coverage: Communication becomes more complex when managing a large geographical coverage with multiple bases. This requires a great level of communication skills.
– Regulatory and Environmental Changes: Adapting to changes in local and international regulations affecting financial operations and managing financial risks associated with political instability, economic fluctuations, and other external factors.
Priorities for the 2/3 first months:
– Getting to know the mission and its operations, familiarize with SI tools and procedures
– Support in the transition into the Hub structure
– Getting to know the teams in the field
– Implementation of Shared Cost Project
– Monthly financial and budgetary tools consolidation and regular update
– Supporting the field teams, capacity building
Responsibilities and main activities:
- Financial and budgetary management.
- Cash Forecast update and treasury management.
- Proposal Budget and Reporting.
- Capacity Building.
- Partnership management.
- Audit and participate in coordination meetings and interagency meetings relating to Finance when asked and/or delegated to do so.
A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 2310 gross per month (2100 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 750.
SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.
Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.
Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
LIVING CONDITIONS:
- Individual, comfortable room in the guesthouse, with electricity 24/7.
- Internet and Phone network available
- Restaurants and international food are available
- Taxi (Careem) is permitted to move in the city and there is no curfew.
Living and working conditions in Erbil are good
Regular travel to Hassakeh and Raqqa will be required where security rules are stricter than Erbil due to the overall context. However, the living conditions remains comfortable within the GHs (own room, well-equipped common areas, internet, 24/7 electricity through generators and/or solar panels).